Challenged Love

Chapter 5

Quidditch tryouts were arriving closer and closer by the hours, and I considered canceling my plans for a moment when my nerves had overtaken my countenance. I feared flying through the air in my fatigued condition, anxious I would fall off my broom or get hit in the head by bludger during a practice game of Quidditch. However, I could not disappoint neither Draco nor Blaise, who were both exceedingly thrilled that I had set out to play Quidditch. Not only that, but I had a chance to be the first girl on the Slytherin team since numerous years ago. I have also been contemplating doing this since my third year. I could not disappoint myself either.

I did everything to ignore the heaviness on my eyelids and the headache I was enduring throughout all my classes. By the time it was lunch, I felt too nauseated to even eat, but I ate what I could anyway, knowing that I would require the energy. I continued to carry on, convincing myself that my lack of alertness was all in my head. During my trip to my last class of the day, however, I acknowledged Kasper. I raced over to meet him.

"Kas! You won't believe what I dreamed of last night!" I proclaimed.

"That's funny," he merely responded. "I also had a weird dream that I turned into a mermaid, and all I could worry about was how I was going to get to school with a tail instead of feet."

He snickered to himself, the memory of the dream still vivid in his thoughts. Although, I do not presume it can compare to the vividness of mine.

"Mine wasn't funny. It was a nightmare," I shuddered.

"Did you turn into a mermaid too?"

"No! I mean- no," I had to lower my tone and decrease the level of agitation it reflected. "I saw You-Know-Who in my dream- and my parents too! We were all at the abandoned house."

Kasper appeared taken aback, not expecting that at all.

"That really is a nightmare," he let out, visibly flabbergasted. "What happened in the dream?"

"I don't quite remember, but all I can recall is that it was dark, and my parents were smiling at me, but in a creepy way."

"Oh my..."

"Do you think it means something?" I asked, lowering my voice even more as more people came rushing through the corridor, able to hear me and Kasper's conversation if I was not careful.

"Like what?" he inquired.

"Like..."

Even I was petrified of my own suspicions, which is why I came to acquire another's opinion.

"What if," I began hesitantly, "the dream was not just a haunting nightmare that happened by coincidence. What if it actually came from..."

I did not have to finish my theory, for Kasper already knew who I was referring to. He appeared almost as if he wanted to laugh.

"Now Holly, how in the world could You-Know-Who put a dream in your head?"

"How else but through dark magic?"

"You're just overthinking it," Kasper told me. "I don't believe You-Know-Who is capable of putting dreams in peoples' heads. I don't even think Dumbledore can do that. Besides, I hear someone is going to play on the Slytherin Quidditch team."

He raised his eyebrows with a smirk, and I grinned with nervous-excitement in my spirit.

"Will you come cheer me on?" I jokingly commented.

"What time is it?" he asked, actually considering my proposal.

"Five o'clock," I declared. "I'll hopefully see you then."